David Schwimmer wants to leave 'Friends' behind in his dramatic new TV show

David
Schwimmer plays a restaurant entrepreneur on AMC's "Feed the
Beast."AMC

No matter what projects David Schwimmer has done, he can't seem
to shake off the "Friends" role that made him a star.

After a turn toward drama on HBO's "Band of Brothers," and
coming off the critically acclaimed "The People v. O.J.
Simpson" on FX, Schwimmer once again displays his dramatic chops
on AMC's new series, "Feed the Beast," premiering Sunday night.

"David’s the only one we went to for this role," "Feed the
Beast" showrunner Clyde Phillips told Business Insider when we
asked if his "Friends" reputation factored into casting. "I had
seen him in 'O.J.,' I had seen him in 'Band of Brothers.' He was
just terrific, and a real good, genuine guy, a real
mensch."

"Feed the Beast" features Schwimmer in the role
of Tommy Moran, a father of one who's struggling with his
grief over his lost wife. His childhood friend, Dion Patras (Jim
Sturgess), re-enters his life after getting out of prison, and
talks Tommy into taking one last shot at their dream of opening a
restaurant. Set in the Bronx, the series tackles racism, the
mafia, family, and drugs.

A lot is packed into the show, and
it demands emotional depth in Schwimmer's
performance, which Philips hopes will help get viewers past his
much-loved "Friends" stint.

"He very much does not want to be known for the rest of his
life as Ross Geller," Phillips said. "In fact, I gave him, as a
gag gift, a fake tombstone. It said 'Ross Geller,
1994-2004, Friend,' to let him know that we’re putting a bullet
in the head of Ross Geller with this show."

As an example of the actor's work, Phillips pointed to a
scene on the first episode in which Schwimmer is attending a
grief counseling group.

"He breaks down with tears in his eyes and we all have
tears in our eyes," the producer, whose credits include "Dexter"
and "Nurse Jackie," recalled. "I wrote it and I didn’t think
it was going to go there... He’s a very, very gifted
actor."